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Monday, July 9, 2012

Buddhism by Numbers: 38 Highest Blessings

Ajahn Sumedho has said that he is deeply grateful for so many blessings that he has had in the forty-odd years of his monastic life, including great teachers, the generosity of many laypeople, living with the forest Sangha, and having the opportunity to practice the Dharma. Regarding such blessings, in the Maha Mangala Sutta, the Lord Buddha lists the thirty-eight highest blessings for a Buddhist. We can use this sutta as something to reflect on, realizing how fortunate we are to have those blessings that we do, and contemplate how we can gain those blessings that we do not. Here are the highest blessings, first in Pali, and then in translation:

Bala-asevana – not to associate with fools

Panditasevcana – to associate with the wise

Pujaneyyapuja – honoring those who are honorable

Patirupadesavasa – living in a suitable region for safe practice

Pubbekatapunnata – having done meritorious deeds

Attasammapanidhi – right self-guidance

Bahusacca – Extensive learning

Sippa – knowledge of the arts and sciences

Vinaya – to be highly restrained by a moral code

Subhasitavaca – to be well-spoken

Matapitu-upatthana – to support one’s parents

Puttasangaha – to cherish one’s children

Darasangaha – to cherish one’s wife (or partner)

Anakulakammanta – to make one’s livelihood wholesomely

Dana – to be generous, charitable

Dhammacariya – to behave in line with the Dharma

Natakasangaha – to cherish one’s family

Anavajjakamma – to act blamelessly

Papavirati – abstinence from evil

Majjapanasannama – abstinence from intoxicants

Appamada – heedfulness in the Dharma

Garava – to be respectful

Nivata – to be humble

Santutthi – contentment with what one has

Katannuta- gratitude

Dhammassavana – the opportunity to hear the Dharma

Khanti – patience; forbearance

Sovacassata – easily corrected

Samana-dassana – to see monks and nuns

Dhammasakaccha – the opportunity to discuss the Dharma

Tapa – self-restraint; austerities

Brahmacariya – to live the holy life

Ariyasacca-dassana – to see the Noble Truths

Nibbana-sacchikiriya – to realize nirvana

Akampitacitta – having a mind unshaken by worldly events

Asokacitta – having a mind free from sorrow

Virajacitta – having an undefiled mind

Khemacitta – having a secure mind

The Maha Mangala Sutta concludes with the following utterance of the Buddha: